Blade and Blanket
by De Ore Leonis
Summary: A Valentine’s Day oneshot. Valentine contemplates more than a simple gift exchange with his protégé.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own _The Mortal Instruments_, either the book or the artefacts themselves.

**Warnings:** Rated for a reason, contains explicit male/male scenes

**Blade and Blanket**

Valentine was sitting on his unyielding chair, in his room, contemplating the date. In the technical sense, there were as many holidays as there were patron saints, but only one had wormed its way into the typical calendar: Valentine's Day.

There were many Saint Valentines and the holiday itself was only loosely associated with any of them. However there was a certain level of amusement to be derived from its connection to his name. Valentine approved of anything relating to himself.

Speaking of which, today was an excellent excuse to seek out his protégé, Lucian. He had no doubt that the festival would hold some degree of meaning for his student. By the same token, Valentine would feel less guilty about giving into their mutual passions if he had a valid reason.

He drummed his fingers on his desk. It would be wise to pre-empt any gift giving with a gift of his own. But what could he present Lucian with? In Valentine's eyes it would have to be something practical. Sentiment could be useful in some cases, but he wanted to give Lucian something with purpose.

Ideas flickered rapidly through his mind, occasionally alighting on heart-shaped things that made him wince. Then a smile spread slowly across the dark eyed teen's face. That would do nicely.

(---)

Valentine made his way to Lucian's room in the early evening, after dinner. He had his student's gift tucked under one arm. It was wrapped with a level of pedantry that bordered on obsession, but Valentine was pleased with the result. He rested the item against the wall next to Lucian's door and knocked.

As expected, Lucian looked quite flustered when he opened his door. Valentine noted a large, clumsily wrapped package on the other's bed, before his student moved to block his view.

"Valentine! I– I'm glad you're here," Lucian stuttered.

Valentine gave him a warm smile. "I am most certainly glad as well," he replied smoothly and was surprised to find how sincerely he meant it.

Lucian beamed and Valentine felt the stirrings of desire. There would be time for that later, he thought, and stamped on the insidious craving.

Lucian was talking to him and it took a moment to focus his attentions. He silently berated himself and tried to pick up on the flow. Luckily his student was nervous and wasn't being particularly concise.

"… how you allow yourself few luxuries, but I've also noticed how your room sometimes gets cold and…" Lucian trailed of with a blush and presented Valentine with the gift that he had noted earlier.

Valentine raised an eyebrow and unwrapped the bulky parcel. Inside was a thick fluffy blanket. Valentine uttered a little chuckle. He should have expected something like this from Lucian. His student's concern was quite touching, but the invested loyalty that it indicated was even more important. Lucian would be an invaluable ally and unappalled right-hand in the times to come.

"Thank you. Bare stone holds a chill and I am fortunate to have you looking out for me." Lucian did nothing to hide the smile which lit up his face. Valentine regarded him for a moment before remembering his own gift. He cleared his throat.

"I left your present outside your door."

Valentine retrieved his meticulously wrapped gift and presented the elongated item on the flats of his palms. Lucian took it reverently, clearly guessing its nature from the shape. He swallowed and removed the paper to reveal the leather scabbard. His hand hovered over the hilt and his eyes flicked up to his teacher's. Valentine nodded and Lucian drew the Seraph blade.

The shimmer and water patterns in the metal itself indicated its quality, but the hilt was wrapped in the same dark leather as the scabbard, without any hint of ornamentation. Even the pommel was a chunk of a heavy, but unremarkable stone.

"Its name is Zadkeil," Valentine supplied.

"After the archangel." Lucian whispered.

Valentine saw that his student seemed quite taken with the blade.

"Now you'll have an excuse to practice your sword work, even though it is not your strength."

Lucian smiled. "Of course. It's beautiful, Valentine."

"It is efficient, certainly, and in a sense that is beauty," Valentine intoned.

Lucian nodded and sheathed the blade before hanging it beside his other weapons. He turned back and his teacher noted that his fidgeting had returned. Valentine's own desires renewed their assault on his control. There was something about Lucian's enthusiasm that was almost contagious. He seemed completely unable to hide his desire and it nearly broke Valentine's control.

Lucian stepped closer, although he refused to meet the other's eyes. Valentine placed his hands on Lucian's waist and resisted the sudden compulsion dig his fingers in and draw Lucian to him. Instead he waited calmly for Lucian to step closer and hoped that his ragged breathing would go unnoticed.

Valentine was so preoccupied with his own control that he didn't even realise that Lucian had arched into his grip until he heard a soft moan spill from his student's lips. The sight of Lucian's hooded eyes and lust-flushed lips undid him. With a growl Valentine closed the gap between them by bringing his target forward and crushing his lips against the invitingly parted ones before him.

Valentine traced his student's bottom lip with his tongue. Lucian shuddered and his lips parted eagerly. With a groan Valentine deepened the kiss. The younger teen was so responsive. Every flick of his tongue seemed to elicit a moan or a gasp. The air seemed too warm and his pants were too tight. He knew that he was on the verge of losing himself. A cold, detached part of his mind whispered warnings and mocked his weakness, but he could not summon the will to care.

It took a moment for Valentine to even register Lucian's hands grasping his back and clutching at his hip. The movements were fevered and Valentine wondered if his body was being used to support other. It was an intoxicating thought. Valentine pushed his knee between Lucian's thighs, partly to support him and partly for the response. He was not disappointed. Lucian gasped and pressed forward, flinging his arms around Valentine's solid torso for balance.

Valentine veritably purred as Lucian continued to utter breathy gasps and rub against him. His student flopped backward and Valentine instantly wrapped an arm around his waist to prevent him from falling against the cold, stone floor. He let his fingertips trace the shape of the vertebrates beneath his hand and was rewarded by Lucian arching forward again.

It was too much for him and not nearly enough. He half dragged Lucian across the room as his student's motor skills appeared non existent. He threw Lucian down on to the unmade bed. The blue eyed teen sprawled on his back and Valentine settled between his legs with a smile.

He allowed himself a moment to admire the panting, restless form beneath him. There was that eagerness and the easy response to contact that shredded Valentine's already tattered will. There was something indefinably perfect about it that overwhelmed any rationality. Valentine wanted Lucian. The desire was possessive, controlling and not the least bit comprehensible.

Now Lucian had stilled and was looking up at him. Valentine knew that Lucian admired his torso and removed the offending garment that blocked his student's view. Lucian's eyes glazed at the sight and his fingertips traced over Valentines nipples. The older teen shivered and let his eyes close momentarily.

Then the delightful hand was removed and Valentine looked down. Lucian was tugging at his own shirt and Valentine watched hungrily as taut skin was gradually revealed. Unable and unwilling to help himself, he slid his hands over the soft expanse before him and leaned in to run his tongue over the smooth flank.

Lucian writhed and Valentine grabbed a hip and a shoulder, pressing the other against the bed and effectively preventing the movement. Lucian whimpered as Valentine continued his assault and gasped as Valentine brought his teeth into play.

Valentine was suddenly struck by a desire to mark his student. He moved his lips to Lucian's side, just below the ribs and sucked hard at the willing flesh. Lucian arched up and then cried out when Valentine sunk his teeth in. Valentine released him and licked delicately at the bruise before turning his attentions elsewhere.

Lucian's pants had to go. They had been grating against Valentine's raw nerves ever since they had moved to the bed. Obviously he was not alone in the opinion because when he started to pull at them, Lucian raised his hips off the bed and joined the effort to remove them with a frustrated snarl. The sound made Valentine's lips curl into a smile.

Finally Lucian was naked before him. Valentine groaned and let his eyes drink in the sight. No wonder Lucian was writhing so much, he looked painfully aroused. Despite his aspirations of control, Valentine knew that his own body was faring no better. He ran his nails down Lucian's thighs and then slid his hands to his own pants and undid them with nimble fingers. He suppressed a sigh of relief and removed all his remaining clothes.

Lucian's desperate hands roving over his body were distracting enough without the occasional noises he would utter. Valentine reached into the pocket of his discarded pants and removed a small glass vial. As he uncorked it, a subtle scent of roses filled the air.

Lucian looked up at him and laughed and Valentine could not suppress his own smile. There was something to be said for tradition and this day demanded a certain type of acknowledgement.

He coated his hand in the rose oil and applied it to his arousal in lazy strokes as Lucian watched with naked hunger in his eyes. With a supreme effort of will, he turned his attentions back to his student. Lucian spread his legs immediately and Valentine's mouth went dry at the blatant invitation.

He slid an oiled digit inside the younger teen and watched the subtle shifting of position that drew his finger in deeper. Lucian looked amazing and Valentine surrendered to a sudden urge. He tilted his head down and ran his tongue up the side of Lucian's erection as his second finger slipped in. His student moaned and bucked upward and Valentine began to stretch him.

When he deemed the timing suitable and had run out of patience that he didn't even know he possessed, Valentine buried himself in Lucian's body. Lucian uttered an inarticulate noise that sent Valentine's nerves blazing. With something between a growl and a moan he began to thrust into the tight heat that surrounded him.

Lucian moved so effortlessly. His legs wrapped around Valentine and his hips lifted against him in counter-rhythm to his thrusts. Valentine lay as close as possible to his student, while still bracing himself on his elbows. He felt unbelievably tensed while Lucian was so pliant.

The incoherent noises from Lucian had resolved into words and Valentine heard his name interspersed with pleas for speed and force. He granted them unthinkingly, relying on instinct and his body's own desire for friction. He knew where to hit. Like fighting with sufficient practice, the body took over. If the moans that tore from the throat of the teen beneath him were any indication, then Valentine's instincts were successful.

Valentine shifted his weight to the left as the compulsion to touch Lucian overwhelmed him. His right hand dragged over Lucian's chest before moving downwards over his stomach and finally between his legs. Lucian bucked into his hand and Valentine thrust in even deeper. They were close.

Lucian cried out suddenly and clenched around his teacher as involuntary shudders wracked his frame. After that it did not take more than a few thrusts to send Valentine over the edge. He cried out Lucian's name, far past the point of clinging to the illusion of control.

Valentine collapsed on top of his student as if the tendons in his body had simply ceased to exist. Lucian moaned slightly and Valentine felt slender fingers curl through his hair. It was a pleasant sensation.

They lay like that for an indeterminate length of time, surrounded by the heady scent of sex and roses. Valentine smiled to himself. This was about as idyllic as he was prepared to be. Nonetheless, as he lay there sated and content, he couldn't help but have a slightly stronger respect for the day that bore his name.


End file.
